Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner a moment before hitting the ISM agent provocateur who had broken two of his fingers.Photo Credit: YY

After so many incidents in which Palestinian propaganda has managed to rearrange the narrative so that the Israeli side appears to be the aggressor, we could expect the IDF brass, as well as Israel’s government, to show restraint, perhaps count to 30, before throwing their own man under the media bus. But, alas, both IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned a senior IDF officer for the way he appears on a selectively edited Palestinian video on You Tube.

A picture, in this case, is worth a whole lot less than a thousand words, because the picture is a video, and a video can be edited so that the aggressor appears like the innocent victim.

Here is what appears to have happened:

A large group of 250 European and Palestinian activists belonging to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) were on a bicycle trip in the Jordan Valley, a region which has enjoyed relative peace in the relationship between local Arabs and the IDF, even as Judea and Samaria were ignited in violent clashes.

The ISM website states that it is a “Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli apartheid in Palestine by using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles. Founded by a small group of primarily Palestinian and Israeli activists in August, 2001, ISM aims to support and strengthen the Palestinian popular resistance by providing the Palestinian people with two resources, international solidarity and an international voice with which to nonviolently resist an overwhelming military occupation force.”

In other words, this is the equivalent of the Sinn Féin, the political wing of the IRA. While Palestinian terrorists are engaged directly in executing acts of murder against Jews in Israel and abroad, the ISM creates provocation that helps divert media attention from the brutality of Palestinian terrorism.

This very large group of dedicated agents provocateurs rode through one of the villages in the valley, and when they tried to get on highway 90, which runs the length of Judea and Samaria alongside the Jordan River, they encountered Israeli soldiers and border policemen who demanded their return to the village, because the activists had not coordinated their trip with security forces.

It should be noted that, for security reasons, Palestinian traffic on highway 90 is curbed and monitored by several checkpoints. This is part of Israel’s overall effort to prevent unceasing Palestinian attempts to attack Jewish targets both within and outside the “green line.”

It should also be noted that, as the ISM itself states this plainly, it is their mission to open up those road blocks, so that “the Palestinian popular resistance,” e.g. the Islamist Jihad and Al Fatah, be able to renew their attacks on Jewish targets.

Now you understand what the clash at the entrance to highway 90 was all about.

Minute 1:51 of the ISM video clearly shows Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner’s bandaged hand, after his fingers had been broken by an agent provocateur.

According to the Deputy Commander of the Valley Brigade, Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner, the event, in which IDF soldiers were trying to block the passage of 250 cyclists, lasted about two hours, only a few minutes of which are shown in the video.

Once told they could not proceed, Eisner said, “the activists tried to block the Jordan Valley road. We were the last vestige between them and the highway, and the protesters tried to pass us again and again, even though we insisted and explained to them that they are forbidden to break into a military zone.”

At some point during that two-hour event, an ISM agent attacked Eisner, and broke two of his fingers. Take a look at the way the Israeli officer is holding his weapon, and you’ll realize he is actually responding to a dangerous demonstrator, rather than attacking him unprovoked. He was provoked and then some.

“I’ve learned my lesson from the incident and will never again be dragged into provocation,” Eisner told Ma’ariv, “but you must understand the whole situation, in which we were trying for two hours to stop lawbreakers. I simply did my job.”

So far, this is a tale of two opposing groups, each attempting to perform the task it had been assigned by its bosses: the ISM were trying to push through the IDF checkpoint, and the IDF was working very hard, and, considering the event lasted two hours, with considerable self-restraint, to block their advance.

Now comes the part where on the Israeli side the bosses lose their grip and throw their dedicated soldiers under the bus.

Of all the official reactions to the incident, the only sane and responsible one came from the IDF Spokesperson’s office. It’s no wonder – they’re paid to respond professionally and calmly. Their statement said: “This is a grave incident. The Head of Central Command, Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, has ordered that a thorough and serious inquiry be conducted. The inquiry will look into the circumstances that preceded the events documented in the video as well as the serious incident that is seen in the film. Lessons will be learned and proper steps will be taken.”

About the Author:Yori Yanover has been a working journalist since age 17, before he enlisted and worked for Ba'Machane Nachal. Since then he has worked for Israel Shelanu, the US supplement of Yedioth, JCN18.com, USAJewish.com, Lubavitch News Service, Arutz 7 (as DJ on the high seas), and the Grand Street News. He has published Dancing and Crying, a colorful and intimate portrait of the last two years in the life of the late Lubavitch Rebbe, (in Hebrew), and
two fun books in English: The Cabalist's Daughter: A Novel of Practical Messianic Redemption, and How Would God REALLY Vote.

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For 2 hours the ISM provocateurs tried to get onto the highway, and they used physical violence against the IDF soldier(s). Their physical violence is reason enough for the soldiers to use any violence against these enemy combatants in return.

who is financing all these punks to come to Israel and agitate. Id really like to know who is supplying them with money so they can cause trouble in Israel while most 20 year old kids go to school, wait tables, work in book stores and hold other low wage jobs. this is part of a professional, well oiled, well financed , organized movement whose sole purpose is to undermine and destroy the Jewish Nation Of Israel.

I watched this footage very closely yesterday and stopped it at various points. I noticed the splints on Col Eisner's right hand and it struck me before anyone mentioned it that this was probably the key to the whole thing. He would have been in pain which would have caused an adrenaline rush. My own feeling then was that there was a lot of missing context. Also, I noticed the "jumps" in the footage, which are typical of ISM and which often omit important events/behaviour.

One of the soldiers should have filmed the whole thing! Perhaps Lt.-Col. Eisner should not have continued in the situation. He must have been in pain and that probably is what led him to strike out angrily the way he did. I'm not excusing it, though. Why weren't these soldiers given training for dealing with people like that? That should be part of their training…..not only how to fight.

It’s not true, that the young Dane broke the IDF-Officers finger. As you can see on the video, the Officer beat the Guy without any reason. Lt.-Colonel Eisner said in a Press-Statement, that “somebody” hit his Hand with a stick and broke his finger, he did’nt say the young Man did. So it’s not a fair and good kind of Journalism, when the author of this article turn the truth up-side-down now.

You folks are unbelievable. The still photo purporting to show splints or bandages has so clearly been photoshoped. Compare it to the actual video footage and you’ll notice that there are no splints, etc. Eisner made a very bad mistake, just like the officer who ordered a sergeant to shoot a bound prisoner in the foot several months ago. Do you think that all IDF officers, even senior ones like Eisner cannot make mistakes, sometimes terrible mistakes? Grow up!

Mark Isser Coopersmith I'm not 'attacking' him. I am simply trying to be subjective. These soldiers AREN'T given the right kind of training for this kind of situation – that is a known fact. Soldiers should be soldiers…not some kind of police. I know all kinds of people.

Lol yes they do…countless amounts of time Jews get beaten up by Police and getting them charged up for their charges is ridiculously hard. One edited video and this guy get's his life ruined by Denmark.

It would appear from the video clip which the anarchists published, the camera was trained on Lt Col Eisner, then this Danish moonbat walked in front of Lt Col Eisner and mouthed off – probably trying to frame a confrontation.
Perhaps he was the one who caused Eisner's broken fingers in the first place and now sought to tease him? Anyway, let's hope the knock with the rifle has put his brain back in motion and only another good kick up his tuches will send him back on a trajectory to Legoland. End of first lecture in foreign politics: MYOB – and don't provoke the locals. Especially not those holding a M16.

Chaiya Eitan .I'm certain soldiers in the IDF are trained to handle crowds. Col. Eisner did a superb job against these Jew, Israel hating thug provocateurs . The enemy dispersed quickly after the Colonel gave one scum a love tap.

Here you have complete information on your question: The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) was founded in August 2001 by Adam Shapiro, Huwaida Arraf; Ghassan Andoni, and George Rishmawi. The organization describes itself as “a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.”http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6233

It's a shame that the Israeli government didn't learn their lesson with the flotilla incident. Until Israel stops apologizing to the world, the world will take advantage of that weakness. "My belief is that in life people will take you at your own reckoning," Anthoy Trollope. It's time for Israel to tell the world that if you mess with the lion, you get eaten. Period.

Liliana Galor yes, a Jewish kapo married to a Jew-hating arab! They are not non-violent, as this little danish pos broke the IDF colonel's fingers with a wooden baton, but of course, they left that bit out! Also, the ISM were on the Mavi Marmara with the terrorist and other hoodlums and stood by while an IDF soldier nearly had his eyes gouged out! Like Antifa, who I have personally experienced at first hand, they use a seemingly innocuous bicycle as a weapon, they did on me and some friends!!

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